Kundalini vs. magic

[michael heany]

I hope this question isn't too open ended, but here goes...

I have an interest in kundalini yoga, and in one of my books there's the suggesion that from the perspective (of one author at least) occult powers are something to be avoided if one wants to practice this branch of yoga.

Now I also have a budding interest in Cabala, which I suppose would be branched under the occult...

Now kundalini has its mantras, some of which are supposed to have certain effects on outside influences. Isn't this a kind of magic?

Just what is magic anyway?

Anyways, if someone has thought about these matters, and thinks they can make helpful distinctions, please reply...

(I could be making too much out of one author's take....)

[Snoe]

Well, I only know the brief summary of Kundalini. And, isn't the Cabala a group of ancient Hebrew writings? Unless you're brewing potions and riding your broom to Sabbath, I don't see much harm in what you could do.

I know my psych teacher practices Kundalini, has been for I believe 20 years. He seems very interested, and has many theories about astral bodies, dream interpretation, etc. He also loves Carl Castenada, and practices some of the things he outlines I believe. Anywho, so if any of those fit into the Occult, I don't think it should matter much. He's serious about his Kundalini, too.

Best wishes,
Theo

[Humming]

I'm more familiar with tantra in general than kundalini specifically, but here's what i think. In my opinion, kundalini IS a system of ritual magic.

We can define magic as the manipulation of reality, or perhaps the manipulation of the appearance of reality? This may occur on an individual level, as when a person chooses to ingest hallucinogens, or practice ritual magick; it may also occur on a mass-scale, such as the media's manipulation of reality through definition of the standards of dialogue (as Daniel has noted on this site).

Kundalini is a physical and physiological practice. Since the body is the vessel of the whole cosmos, bodily techniques can be used to open gateways from within.

The mantra recitations specifically, are verbalized spells. Each mantra is associated with a philosophical, metaphysical concept of what the mantra speaker may seek to attain, and after many millions of recitations, when the mantra is actualized the practioner literally merges and becomes one with the sound that s/he is producing, and in this way deities are manifested within the body.

Each letter of the sanskrit alphabet (there are fifty) is associated with a deity and a mantra. When the mantra is actualized and dissolved from within, the deity has manifested within the practioner.

Keep in mind that these are all psycho-physical visualization techniques, but it is all very "real" in the strictest existential sense: kundalini practice transforms the body and mind.

[Slow Dancer]

all yoga is magic
yoga means union

magic is just uniting this with that

i have used kundalini for over 10 years

kundalini is another word for magic power

have you ever tried lsd, or mushrooms, or mescaline?
when you did it, did you feel energized and full of power?
if so, it is because the kundalini was activated